Honing Sheath Device

ABSTRACT

A honing sheath device for honing a blade using a rigidly supported soft and smooth surface includes a tool with a handle and a rigid member extending from the handle. A sheath constructed of a flexible material is deployable around the rigid member of the tool to produce a rigidly supported soft and smooth surface for honing blades.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to blade honing device and more particularly pertains to a new blade honing device for honing a blade using a rigidly supported soft and smooth surface.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art discloses blade honing devices such as a rigid hone or file with an abrasive tool head that is replaceable when the tool head becomes too worn. Another device has a removable abrasive sheath which covers a bi-convex tool for abrasively sharpening a blade. This device is another instance of an abrasive surface being replaceable when the tool becomes worn. These devices do not address the need of some users to use a rigidly supported soft and smooth material to hone a blade rather than abrasively shape it. Sharpening with an abrasive surface removes material, whereas honing with a soft, smooth material conforms to the surface of a blade and pushes the material of the blade in order to smooth an edge.

Yet another device uses straps of leather held taut and pulled to adjust the convexity or concavity of the leather straps to the user's desires, and leather straps have been known to be used for smoothly honing an edge of a blade. But this device and others do not support the full length of the leather with a rigid member, which allows for the exertion of greater force on the blade when necessary. The prior art thus fails to disclose a device which smoothly hones a blade while rigidly supporting it.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a tool with a handle and a rigid member extending from the handle. A sheath constructed of a flexible material is deployable around the rigid member of the tool to produce a rigidly supported soft and smooth surface for honing blades.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the sheath of a honing sheath device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a left side view of the sheath of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a right side view of the sheath of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the sheath of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the sheath of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a flat pattern view of the sheet of the sheath of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is an in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 8 thereof, a new blade honing device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 8 , the honing sheath device 10 generally comprises a tool 12 with a handle 14 and a rigid member 16 extending from the handle 14. The tool 12 is a honing rod, a perimeter surface 18 of the rigid member 16 of which being cylindrical. A sheath 20 is constructed of a flexible material and defines an opening 22 and a hollow space. The sheath 20 deploys to a use position 24 by receiving the rigid member 16 of the tool 12 through the opening 22, which causes the sheath 20 to conform to the perimeter surface 18 of the rigid member 16. The sheath 20 is configured for honing a blade 26 when in the use position 24 and a side of the blade 26 adjacent to an edge 30 of the blade 26 frictionally engages and compresses an outer surface 32 of the sheath 20 and moves parallel to the perimeter surface 18 of the rigid member 16 such that the edge 30 of the blade 26 follows behind the side of the blade 26, the sheath 20 being configured for honing the blade 26 without abrading the blade 26.

The tool 12 may alternatively not be a honing rod, wherein the perimeter surface 18 of the rigid member 16 of the tool 12 comprises a flat surface. In this case, the sheath is configured for honing the blade 26 when in the use position 24 and the side of the blade 26 adjacent to the edge 30 of the blade 26 frictionally engages the outer surface 32 of the sheath 20 opposite the flat surface and moves parallel to the flat surface such that the edge 30 of the blade 26 follows behind the side of the blade 26.

The sheath 20 is constructed of a sheet 34 of the flexible material. The sheet 34 elongates from a first end 36 of the sheet 34 to a second end 38 of the sheet 34 along a central longitudinal axis and is symmetric about the central longitudinal axis. The sheet 34 has a pair of lateral edges 40 which also extend from the first end 36 of the sheet 34 to the second end 38 of the sheet 34. The pair of lateral edges 40 arc inward at the second end 38 of the sheet 34. The sheet 34 has a pair of border portions 42 which are each adjacent to and extend along each lateral edge 40. The sheet 34 forms the sheath 20 when the sheet 34 bends around the central longitudinal axis, the pair of lateral edges 40 align with each other, and the pair of border portions 42 couple to each other, thereby also defining the opening 22 at the first end 36 and the hollow space.

The sheet 34 of the flexible material has a plurality of thread holes 44 dispersed proximate to each lateral edge 40 of the sheet 34. Each thread hole 44 is positioned coaxially with an associated thread hole 44 when the sheet 34 is positioned to form the sheath 20. A thread 46 stitches together the pair of border portions 42 of the sheet 34 together to form the sheath 20. Each of a plurality of rivet holes 50 extend through an associated border portion 42 of the pair of border portions 42 of the sheet 34 proximate an associated end 52 of the associated border portion 42. Each rivet hole 50 is positioned coaxially with an associated rivet hole 50 when the sheet 34 is positioned to form the sheath 20. Each of a pair of rivets 48 extend through a pair of rivet holes 50 of the plurality of rivet holes 50, securing the ends 52 of the pair of border portions 42 to each other.

In use, a user inserts the rigid member 16 of the tool 12 into the sheath 20. Then, while holding the handle 14 of the tool 12, the user moves the side of the blade 26 adjacent to the edge 30 of the blade 26 parallel to the perimeter surface 18 of the rigid member 16 while the side of the blade 26 frictionally engages an outer surface 32 of the sheath 20 such that the edge 30 of the blade 26 follows behind the side of the blade 26.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

I claim:
 1. A honing sheath device comprising: a tool, said tool having a handle and a rigid member extending from said handle; and a sheath, said sheath being constructed of a flexible material, said flexible material being soft so as to be resiliently compressible, said flexible material being smooth, said sheath defining an opening and a hollow space, said sheath deploying to a use position by receiving said rigid member of said tool through said opening, said sheath conforming to a perimeter surface of said rigid member when receiving said rigid member through said opening, said sheath being configured for honing a blade when in the use position and a side of the blade adjacent to an edge of the blade frictionally engages and compresses an outer surface of said sheath and moves parallel to the perimeter surface of said rigid member such that the edge of the blade follows behind the side of the blade, said sheath being configured for honing the blade without abrading the blade.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said tool is a honing rod, said perimeter surface of said rigid member of the honing rod being cylindrical.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein said perimeter surface of said rigid member of said tool comprises a flat surface, said sheath being configured for honing the blade when in the use position and the side of the blade adjacent to the edge of the blade frictionally engages said outer surface of said sheath opposite the flat surface and moves parallel to the flat surface such that the edge of the blade follows behind the side of the blade.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said sheath is constructed of leather.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein said sheath is constructed of a sheet of said flexible material, said sheet elongating from a first end of said sheet to a second end of said sheet along a central longitudinal axis, said sheet being symmetric about said central longitudinal axis, said sheet having a pair of lateral edges extending from said first end of said sheet to said second end of said sheet, said pair of lateral edges arcing inward at said second end of said sheet, said sheet having a pair of border portions, each border portion being adjacent to and extending along each said lateral edge, said sheet forming said sheath when said sheet bends around said central longitudinal axis, said pair of lateral edges align with each other, and said pair of border portions couple to each other, thereby defining said opening at said first end and said hollow space.
 6. The device of claim 5, further comprising a thread, wherein said sheet of said flexible material has a plurality of thread holes dispersed proximate to each said lateral edge of said sheet, each said thread hole being positioned coaxially with an associated thread hole when said sheet is positioned to form said sheath, said thread stitching together said pair of border portions of said sheet together to form said sheath.
 7. The device of claim 6, further comprising: a plurality of rivet holes, each rivet hole extending through an associated border portion of said pair of border portions of said sheet proximate an associated end of said associated border portion, each said rivet hole being positioned coaxially with an associated rivet hole when said sheet is positioned to form said sheath; and a pair of rivets, each rivet extending through a pair of rivet holes of said plurality of rivet holes, said pair of rivets securing said ends of said pair of border portions to each other.
 8. A honing sheath device comprising: a tool, said tool having a handle and a rigid member extending from said handle, wherein said tool is a honing rod, said perimeter surface of said rigid member of the honing rod being cylindrical; a sheath, said sheath being constructed of a flexible material, said flexible material being soft so as to be resiliently compressible, said flexible material being smooth, said sheath defining an opening and a hollow space, said sheath deploying to a use position by receiving said rigid member of said tool through said opening, said sheath conforming to a perimeter surface of said rigid member when receiving said rigid member through said opening, said sheath being configured for honing a blade when in the use position and a side of the blade adjacent to an edge of the blade frictionally engages and compresses an outer surface of said sheath and moves parallel to the perimeter surface of said rigid member such that the edge of the blade follows behind the side of the blade, said sheath being configured for honing the blade without abrading the blade, wherein said sheath is constructed of a sheet of said flexible material, said sheet elongating from a first end of said sheet to a second end of said sheet along a central longitudinal axis, said sheet being symmetric about said central longitudinal axis, said sheet having a pair of lateral edges extending from said first end of said sheet to said second end of said sheet, said pair of lateral edges arcing inward at said second end of said sheet, said sheet having a pair of border portions, each border portion being adjacent to and extending along each said lateral edge, said sheet forming said sheath when said sheet bends around said central longitudinal axis, said pair of lateral edges align with each other, and said pair of border portions couple to each other, thereby defining said opening at said first end and said hollow space, wherein said sheet of said flexible material has a plurality of thread holes dispersed proximate to each said lateral edge of said sheet, each said thread hole being positioned coaxially with an associated thread hole when said sheet is positioned to form said sheath; a thread, said thread stitching together said pair of border portions of said sheet together to form said sheath; a plurality of rivet holes, each rivet hole extending through an associated border portion of said pair of border portions of said sheet proximate an associated end of said associated border portion, each said rivet hole being positioned coaxially with an associated rivet hole when said sheet is positioned to form said sheath; and a pair of rivets, each rivet extending through a pair of rivet holes of said plurality of rivet holes, said pair of rivets securing said ends of said pair of border portions to each other. 